How-to: Choose the Right Rug Size
Choosing the right rug for your space can be daunting. Between size options, material composition, patterns, texture and style, the options can seem endless. For you, dear friends, we’ve compiled here our latest favorite tips and tricks to finding the perfect-sized rug!
Size and scale are paramount in choosing your rug. Oftentimes, bigger is better. Your rug should relate to the other furniture pieces in your room and serves to anchor the space. The following drawings demonstrate how different size rugs will work in different rooms.
BEDROOM: The first 2 drawings are what we recommend! A rug that encompasses more than half the length of the bed, with at least two feet on either side – to greet your feet in the morning – and about a foot of coverage past the foot is a beautiful addition to any bedroom. To find something more budget friendly, consider two runners on either side of the bed. What we don’t suggest is a rug that sits only at the base of the bed, making both the rug, bed and room look smaller.
DINING ROOM: Our rule of thumb for area rugs in the dining room is pretty and simple. A rug with enough coverage, as shown in the first drawing here, to lay beneath chairs when they are pushed in and pulled out is well advised. The last thing you want is for your guests to be half-on and half-off, wobbling their way through dinner.
LIVING ROOM: In the living room, your rug unifies the space and sets the stage for your seating and conversation area. If not all legs, we are recommending at least the front two legs of each piece of furniture to sit on the rug as displayed in the first drawing. If a fabulous vintage small rug catches your heart, layer it on top of a larger, more appropriately sized natural fiber rug like sisal or jute. We like to avoid “rug island” shown below in the red!
Now that you’re an expert too on how to select a rug size, call me to discuss flat weave vs. pile and whether you’re a fancy Persian mohair or Tibetan knot kind of client!